Faith

Deep down in Nebuchadnezzar’s heart, he must have known by the reason of the interpretation of his dream that his government could not last forever. It was not a surprise that he made the golden image to try and solidify his reign as opposed to what GOD proposed. The revelation of GOD comes with solution. But because this solution means nothing less than destruction of all that Babylon represents, those who embody this revelation must face persecution and trials that would test their faith.

And because of Babylon’s knowledge of the revelation related to her, she would want to keep herself safe and would always want the LORD’s people to abide by these safety measures. She always proposes in her heart that as long as everyone accepts her reign and rulership, everything will be alright but little did she know that even the approval of men (even of GOD) cannot stop what GOD had already purposed in His heart. Worship of Babylon starts from endorsing what is not GOD’s and it gradually moves to buying into her agenda.

This is another test of faith and absolute allegiance to GOD come what may. We must not allow Babylon to drag us into what is majorly directed towards defying GOD. Our acceptance of the works of those who are not friend with GOD is no different than bowing down before the statute of Nebuchadnezzar. Accepting such works means that we accept the personalities of those who are at the helm of decision regardless of their sheer unGODliness.

We must know the heart of GOD concerning Babylon and even as we know, we must not buy into Babylon’s measure to avert the judgments that are already pronounced. Humanistic approach is not GOD’s approach!

Even though personal decisions have been made based on our convictions in the Law of GOD, we must put everyone around us at rest, especially those who the custodians of Babylon have assigned to us. They must report to the and the report must be a good one to save them from cruelty and unnecessary complications even though we cannot afford to flow with the tide of the world.

This is the time to prove GOD before these people not for the purpose of leaving us alone but for the purpose of making them believe that our trust is not in a dead GOD. This is where works is important after our profession of faith in GOD and His Laws.

Our proposition must never be out of a competitive heart but from a heart that does not want to be marred and changed by the world. This proposition must come from a heart that wants to be fit always in order to be able to serve in GOD’s court and in the epicentre of GOD’s agenda but operating from the courts of men.

The proposition is futile if it does not prove the basis of our decision. So as we decide by faith, our proposition must be by the same faith and it must be kept even till the end. The result of this proposition must relieve us of any complications (not persecution) otherwise, we must either succumb to or weather through the storm of complications and persecutions from the onset. Sadly, this is what is happening to most believers in this wilderness called world.

We must take note that Daniel and his friends did not lay emphasis on the food they decided not to eat and even if they did, it was merely vegetables and water. This goes beyond to say it all about Babylon and Jerusalem (Zion) and not the food.

Just like JESUS, Daniel would not let the hunger for food and exotics take him away from GOD. Daniel was captured from Jerusalem and taken to Babylon just as we are born into this world but GOD desires that we triumph over this world of sin by righteousness. And this was what Daniel kept in his heart from his time in Babylon till his dying days.

Babylon is not without its wisdom and cleverness but the Spirit of GOD in us is the embodiment of GOD’s Wisdom that is True and Pure. Babylonian system knew of a fact that what changes a man quickly is food and language. Food, being what opens him up to accept what the food bringer is about to offer next; and the language and literature tends to change the person beyond educating the mind only. It goes beyond curing ignorance to changing the behaviour and way of life of the person.

The most effective of attacks or assaults are the ones the victims accept or succumb to willingly. Just like CHRIST, Daniel’s delight was not in the choice and exotic food and wine of Babylon but in the Word of GOD. Even though he missed the noble and royal food of Judah/Jerusalem, the Word of GOD was his most cherished delicacy and means of communicating to/with the world.

So his decision was to avoid cultural change and stick with the Kingdom culture by making The KING’s Law is delight after all, he was a custodian of the same Law just as we all are as believers in this end time.

What is the essence conquest without peace as the result? There is no wisdom in deliberately turning a friend to a foe by ignoring what needs to be done.

Our conquest is not on the territories we are fighting to protect and present before the LORD even though their hearts must be conquered. Leadership would later turn into rulership and God’s motive is always to rule His people in peace.

All the conquest of David was for Israel and Judah so it would be foolish not to take Judah into account after his victory over Amalek. A man of peace must understand that his war is against the enemies of peace and that a lover of peace could cause war and chaos if he ignores the very people he has been fighting for . . .

There must be a connection between what we do and the people we serve . . . Spoils of war should be evident in the lives of those we are fighting for. Even though our journey of leadership is that of faith, there are people who are still in the realm of seeing is believing . . . and whatever we do by faith must be a testimony to heighten their belief in GOD.

On the path of leadership, there are many who tread the same path afterwards . . . This means that the weight of many people are on your shoulders because they look up to God through you and also because they are in their position because if your leadership.

A follower might not respond to adversity or distress very well but a leader must learn how to do so because without a proper response, doom ad destruction awaits.

The proper response was what David did when his men were about to stone him – he turned to the LORD and received strength from HIM. He did not react to their distress because reaction is an opposite force to action. He was not ready to defend himself before his men but turn to God for strength and he got it. His action was more of response than reaction . . .

Our action towards distress must be response and not reaction . . . There are so many things that would not go as planned not because God is not able to make things happen but because there are obstacles and oppositions all around waging war against the reality of God. OUR HELP IN TIMES OF DISTRESS COMES FROM THE LORD! We must keep looking up to HIM as the Author and Finisher of the Faith that initiated our journey in HIM!

There are three things among other things that GOD cherishes in our relationship and work with HIM. If these three things are taking seriously at heart, our relationship and work with GOD will be inseparable.

As the KING, GOD has a Kingdom and a Kingdom cannot function without Laws that would guide and inform the Kingdom’s purpose of existence. So, if The Kingdom and Law are the elements of ruling the hearts of men, what is the need for Faith? How helpful is Faith to the KING and HIS people?

KINGDOM AND LAW

Generally, the law can be a set of instructions written in order to guide a system for the purpose of functioning according to design. This means that law does not create a Kingdom but guides to function according to the Creator. There would always be satisfaction if the Kingdom is always functioning as it needs to function and even though the Kingdom is not created by the law, they must equally emerge from the same source.

In ancient times, it is often said that the king is the law i.e. Whatever the king declares stands as the law people should live by. In the Kingdom of the LORD, the Word of GOD is the Law because HE is what HE says and the Spirit from which the Words HE speaks from is the embodiment of HIS kingdom. According to the Holy Bible, the summary of the Kingdom of the LORD is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. This means that whoever is living in the reality of the Kingdom of the LORD, these three things must be his reality and this can only be possible if the Laws of the KING are being kept sincerely and cheerfully.

FAITH

According to the book of Hebrew, Faith is the substance of the things hoped for and the evidence of the things not seen . . . So how does Faith relates to the Kingdom of the LORD and the Laws governing it?

From the Scriptures, it is evident that:

1. Law of GOD = HIS Word
2. Word of GOD = HIS person or Who HE is
>>>Therefore, The Law of GOD = GOD HIMSELF

Also,

1. Kingdom of GOD: King’s Domain
2. Domain: Everything was made by HIS Word

This means that whatever we see and not see i.e. whatever we know to be existing and the ones we are not aware of their existence were made by GOD’s Word. They are all from GOD. “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof . . .”

So, GOD asking us to have Faith is a way of saying that:

“I am My Word and My Word is Law; My Kingdom is a part of Me that I have spread in the hearts of My people on earth and even upon the earth itself. My Kingdom and My Law are both products of My Spirit. Can you just obey ME when I say a word to you in form of a command? Since I am the Law and you have accepted this same Law, can you just do things only because I say so even though it may not make sense in the immediate?”

If GOD speaks and HIS words become law and everything we see are products of the same words, it means there is more to GOD that can only be accessed through a relationship with HIS person. Faith is more of our relationship with the KING that founded the Kingdom and made the Law . . . If we accept the person of GOD and HIS Son JESUS CHRIST, then the Law would be natural to live by and the Kingdom will be our abode even as HE abides in us.

Faith is allowing GOD to live out HIS Kingdom and Laws from our within . . . Selah!